KOI, not coral
- Thread starter Justjoe
- Start date
Iammatt219
Member
Depending on the frost level and location on the island. In most cases it is 2.5 feet. However, the pond de-icer is generally a good item to add as it aids in gas exchange.
shyland83
New member
yeah i'm 24" deep and it can freeze solid in a bad winter, added a heater a few years ago and it works really well. I'm pretty sure 4ft is a safe number tho. If you do go heater it seems to use a lot of electricity. I cover mine with styrofoam and a tarp to cut down on energy cost. I once chopped a hole in the ice and added the heater and an hour later all the ice was gone and the pond was steaming, i just couldnt handle watching my money steam away like that.
eboonaman
In Memoriam
the Koi Vet:
http://www.koivet.com/html/articles...?article_id=8&category=9&search_term=freezing
http://www.koifishguide.com/koiponds/
excerpt:
"Pond Depth
According to most koi experts, your pond depth should be 6 feet. If you have a smaller pond, the bare minimum you can go as low as 4 and ½ or 5 feet, but the slightly deeper depth is better. The more shallow depth of 4 and ½ feet have been used in cold climates but the concern here is survival of the fish during the very cold weather where freezing over can occur."
also the deeper the pond the better it is for temp control on the hottest days the fish will stay deeper where the water is cooler and more oxygen.
http://www.koivet.com/html/articles...?article_id=8&category=9&search_term=freezing
http://www.koifishguide.com/koiponds/
excerpt:
"Pond Depth
According to most koi experts, your pond depth should be 6 feet. If you have a smaller pond, the bare minimum you can go as low as 4 and ½ or 5 feet, but the slightly deeper depth is better. The more shallow depth of 4 and ½ feet have been used in cold climates but the concern here is survival of the fish during the very cold weather where freezing over can occur."
also the deeper the pond the better it is for temp control on the hottest days the fish will stay deeper where the water is cooler and more oxygen.
Hey Joe, My pond is about 22 inches deep. It was supposed to be 24 but i guess they got tired of digging. It was installed 4 years ago so it went through those 3 bad winters with no problem. The heater is used to keep a hole in the ice for gas exchange not to prevent complete freezing. I still have the original fish minus one that a heron grabbed. The koi have gotten pretty big so an expansion might be in the future. The pond is a piece of cake compared to taking care of the reef! If you ever get out this way you can check it out.
EMBRYOGUY
New member
i use to show high end jap kois.
4 feet i would say min. of course it only has to be this deep in a portion of the pond. i would advise calling a koi dealer in the area. i would recommend, qualitykoi.com , ask to speak to Matt, hes the manager there. they are located in nj. he can give you the best recommendations on pond design, depth etc. i would trust his recommendation completely. they are one of the top koi dealers in the country.
2 feet is for goldfish and domestic kois. jap kois have a weaker immune system, so they need more care esp in the first few years in the us. though 2 feet might be ok for most winters in the area, all it takes is one erratic winter and all the livestock will perish. 4 gives a cushion. i have know koi collectors go thru 10 plus years with a 2 feet depth and than get wiped out the next year.
best of luck.
4 feet i would say min. of course it only has to be this deep in a portion of the pond. i would advise calling a koi dealer in the area. i would recommend, qualitykoi.com , ask to speak to Matt, hes the manager there. they are located in nj. he can give you the best recommendations on pond design, depth etc. i would trust his recommendation completely. they are one of the top koi dealers in the country.
2 feet is for goldfish and domestic kois. jap kois have a weaker immune system, so they need more care esp in the first few years in the us. though 2 feet might be ok for most winters in the area, all it takes is one erratic winter and all the livestock will perish. 4 gives a cushion. i have know koi collectors go thru 10 plus years with a 2 feet depth and than get wiped out the next year.
best of luck.
Fragmented 99
Member
The depth is not as important as the need to keep the fish/water from freezing solid from top to bottom. Without the use of a heater and cold weather for a long period of time you could have 18" or more of ice. If your pond is 24" deep, you could have a problem. With a pond heater of the right size you should be OK. The donut shaped heaters mentioned above do a good job and use low wattage (50 Watts?) but their design is primarily to provide an opening for air exchange.
My pond is just under 2000 gallons and my max depth is 30". (I can't go any deeper or I hit the Atlantic...). I have yet to see my pond freeze more than a few inches on top.
As long as there is water under the ice the fish will be fine.
I also have the 'donut' heater to keep an opening in the ice (about $70 in most stores) and it only comes on when the water freezes, so it doesn't use that much electricity.
It's best to supplement the heater with a weighted air line (no airstone, the bubbles need to be large) for extra oxygenation.
The depth of the pond is mostly important for spawning as Koi prefer to dive when spawning. Ideally 4-5 foot is best as fully grown Koi are very large. Additionally the depth will help keep the pond cooler in the summer heat.
Please do NOT break the ice with fish in the pond, you can easily kill them this way! If you need to make an opening due to heater failure - use hot water to melt it.
Surburban Water Gardens in Dix Hills is a very good supplier in this area.
As long as there is water under the ice the fish will be fine.
I also have the 'donut' heater to keep an opening in the ice (about $70 in most stores) and it only comes on when the water freezes, so it doesn't use that much electricity.
It's best to supplement the heater with a weighted air line (no airstone, the bubbles need to be large) for extra oxygenation.
The depth of the pond is mostly important for spawning as Koi prefer to dive when spawning. Ideally 4-5 foot is best as fully grown Koi are very large. Additionally the depth will help keep the pond cooler in the summer heat.
Please do NOT break the ice with fish in the pond, you can easily kill them this way! If you need to make an opening due to heater failure - use hot water to melt it.
Surburban Water Gardens in Dix Hills is a very good supplier in this area.
you might want to check with http://www.gardenpondforum.com/
Joe, I've been keeping and breeding koi for over 15 years,and imho you need a minimum depth of 3 feet, but 4 or 5 feet in a small area would be optimal. Also koi grow rapidly and produce a lot of waste, so i would recommend a good filtration system(bead filter),bottom drains,and vortex shaped walls.Finally i will be downsizing my ponds soon and you are welcome to some hand tame koi, Pete.
My pond is about 24" deep in the center ,I do not use the De-Icer heaters .I just use a tetra 100 air pump in the center to keep a hole in the ice it uses much less electric . I do wish it was deeper but that is mostly beacuse of the Egrets that like to snack on my Koi . I put a milk crate in the center of the pond and cut out the sides & it protects the Koi it give them a place to hide when the Egret comes along .
